Heat interchanger



Sept. 25, 1934. R. SADWl-TH i 7 1,974,834

HEAT INTERCHANGER Filed May 25, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Sept. 25, 1934. R s H 1,974,834

HEAT INTERCHANGER Filed May 26, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 7EJIEIENTOR C M ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 25, 1 934 UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE 1,974,834 HEAT INTERCHANGER Ryan Sadwith, Newark, N. J.

Application May 26, 1933, Serial No. 672,929

4 Claims. (Cl. 257-245) This invention relates to heat interchangers.

Heat interchangers of the type shown inHarrison Patents Nos. 1,506,121 and 1,621,881, are efficient but in the case of burning out of any of 5 the tubes necessitate a complete breaking down of the heat interchanger and'also complete breaking down of the tube elements in order to replace the burned out tubes. The replacement necessitates taking the heat interchanger out of use for a relatively long periodof time which adds to the expense of the replacement. In my invention the tube stacks or elements are of such a unit type of construction that in the event of a burning out an elementmay be readily withdrawn, repaired and reinserted, or a new one may be inserted in less than one-half hour. In addition, my invention is adaptable for use in connection with the Harrison heat interchangers already constructed.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide 910 an improved type of tube element which is readily removable and replaceable in the heat interchanger.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tube element which will be free from leakage,

125 efficient in operation and relativel inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing a heat inter-changer embodying the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a detail View of the side spacing plate.

- Figure 3 is a detail view of the bottom wedge spacing plate.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the front end of the heat interchanger.

Figure 5 is a partial horizontal sectional view 40 along the line 5, 5, of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view having the side panels removed and parts broken off to show the principles of my invention.

My invention is particularly applicable to sectional heat interchangers each section or element supported by a lower section without a supporting frame or casing and wherein the medium to be heated travels horizontally through one set of passages and the products of combustion travel vertically through another set of passages. It is essential in this type of interchanger that there shall be no leakage whereby the products of com bustion may intermingle with the medium being heated so that the joints must be gas tight. With such a type of heater in order to make repairs on the lower tubes the entire heater must be broken down. As the metal tubes and other metal parts may become slightly deformed due to expansion and contraction it makes it diificult to break down and remove the elements. This is particularly 6 true of the lower bank of tubes which burns out more readily than the upper banks.

In carrying out my invention I have provided meanswhereby repairs can be quickly made without dismantling the heat interchanger.

Any well known type of furnace may be utilized in connection with the heat interchanger.

The details of my invention are as follows:

I propose to use tubes having a contracted body portion 1 and expanded end portions 2, the (0 expansion of the end portion being in the width and not in the height. The end portions 2 are adapted for contact one with the other to form the tube sheet for a bank of tubes and are welded together into a stack at the ends by bars 3 and flat plates 4 with curved covers 5 to direct the flow of air from one stack of an element to the next adjacent stack and to prevent the intermingling of the products of combustion with the medium being heated. At the front and back of the elements an angle iron structure in connection with plates 4 may be roughly described as forming a box, the bottom and top of thebox being plates 4. The angle iron 6 on the front face is bolted tothe bottom of an element and the angle iron 7 to the top of the same element. The rear construction is the same except that the curved cover 5 for the ends of the tubes is onehalf of a semi-circumference whereby the medium to be heated passing through the element is directed to the next adjacent element Where a corresponding one-half of a semi-circumference cooperates with the other half of the curved cover of the other element. Such construction is required to permit the passage of the medium to .95 be heated from one element to the other (see Figure 6). The angle irons are secured to the top and bottom of the box portions in any well known manner. An element therefore may be defined as comprising two rows of tubes having expanded ends 2 and contracted body portions 1, the expanded ends forming tube sheets, the two rows of tubes being connected at one end by curved covers 5 and at the other end one row of tubes of one element being connected to the adjacent element by one-half of a curved cover, (see Figure 6) the tubes of each row being secured together by bars 3 welded to the expanded ends and to flat plates 4 the said plates being secured to angle irons to form a box like structure. This completed struc- -l10 ture being removable as a unit, hence defined as an element. Figure 6 shows two elements. Elements may be defined as two rows of tubes one above the other. The lower element must be in gas tight contact with the bottom of the upper element at the box end portions to prevent intermingling of the heating medium and the products of combustion. The front of the element comprises a metallic plate 8 backed by heat resisting material 9 secured in place by side angle irons 10 and bottom and top angle irons 6 and '7. Between the sidewalls ll and angle irons 10 and between angle irons 10 of adjacent elements in the same elevation are spacing bars orplates 11 (see Figure 5) Under the lower element's'of both front and rear, I provide wedge shaped plates '12.. Plate 12 forms an important element in that it raises the lower element for ga's'tight contact with the upper element and permits the ready joining of the two elements. The wedge structure also permits of its more easy removal in the case of repairs.

In the event of a repair being necessary to the lower bank of tubes, bar or plate 12 is first unbolted and by reason of its wedge shape is readily removable regardless of the fact that distortions may have taken place in the metal parts. The bolts of the side angle plates 10 are then removed permitting withdrawal of the side spacing plates 11. The-bolts connecting the angles 6 and '7 are then removed and the entire element may then be withdrawn including facing panel 8, it being understood that the same procedure has been gone through with respect to the rear face. Repairs can then be made or a new element inserted. The angle irons 6 and '7 are then bolted together and the plate 12 is wedged into position, spacers 11 are inserted and the bolts through the angle irons 10 and spacers 11 are inserted and secured. In the case of the removal of the upper element for repairs the bolts in the side angles are removed and the bolts through the angles 6 and 7 are removed. The spacing plates are withdrawn and. the element may then be removed. If the distortion is too great to permit withdrawal of the element due to sticking at the top and bottom the lower element may be dropped by the removal of wedge plate 12.

Although my invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with the sectional type of heat interchanger it may also be used with the solid frame type or other heat interchanger structures.

What I claim is:

1. In a heat interchanger, two rows of tubes, means for securing the two rows together to form a unitary element, a plurality of said elements being adapted to be stacked one above the other and removable means for holding the elements in gas tight relationship and for permitting ready removal of one of the elements.

2. In a heat interchanger, a plurality of tubular elements, means at the ends of said tubes to unite them, said elements adapted to be stacked one above the other, angle irons at the front and back "of said elements to which said elements are bolted to provide gas tight contact between said elements, a wedge shaped bar insert'a'ble below the lowest element to support the lowest element in gas tight contact and to provide space upon removal of said wedge shaped bar whereby any of said elements may be readily removed.

3. In a heat interchanger, a plurality of unitary elements arranged in vertical and horizontal rows between sidewalls, rows of tubes having their ends welded together and to a closed end structure, to form each a unitary element, angle irons is at the front of each element whereby adjacent elements may be bolted together in gas tight relationship, means at the front and back of said elements to bring superimposed elements into gas tight relationship and upon removal to permit if the dropping of the lower of said el ments for withdrawal.

4. In a heat interchanger comprising sectional units of tubes, means to unite adjacent rows into unitary elements adapted to be stacked one 1 above the other between side walls, angle irons at the front and back of each element to secure said elements together, spacing members at the sides of said elements and insertable wedge shaped members at the bottom of said stack to raise said lower element and when withdrawn to permit the lowering of said lower element.

RYAN SADWITH. 

